Former Senate Minority Leader who recently defected from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Godswill Akpabio, has received a court injunction to preempt any move to declare his seat vacant in the Senate.
An FCT High Court sitting in Bwari restrained Senate President Bukola Saraki, or anyone acting in his stead from declaring the seat vacant as a result of his defection.
Justice Othman Musa also ordered the leadership of the senate not to impede Senator Akpabio’s access to the Senate building or take any action aimed at “overreaching his privileges and rights as a Senator pending the determination of the originating Summons of the applicant.”
Justice Musa ordered service of the originating Summons and other processes on Saraki through either the Clerk of the National Assembly, Clerk of the Senate or any other Clerk or reasonable staff of the National Assembly at the Assembly complex.
The orders were made after an ex parte application by Akpabio’s lawyers, Chikaosolu Ojukwu and Ebere Ahanonu.
The suit has been adjourned to August 29 for further hearing.
See the court papers:
